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At a time when the world is seeing its species rapidly go extinct, the Kirtland's warbler is not just a survivor, it's a rock star. The Kirtland's warbler is the rarest warbler species in North America and will always be rare because of its persnickety nesting preferences. But when the total population fell below 400 birds in the 1970s and 1980s---driven largely by a loss of habitat and the introduction of a parasite---a small group of dedicated biologists, researchers, and volunteers vowed to save the Kirtland's warbler despite long odds. This is the story of the warbler's survival and gradual recovery, the people and policies that kept it from extinction, and the ongoing challenges that may again jeopardize the bird's future. In The Kirtland's Warbler, William Rapai explores the bird's fascinating natural history as well as the complex and evolving relationships between the warbler, its environment, its human protectors, and state and federal policies that today threaten to eradicate decades of work done on the species' behalf. Beginning with an account of the warbler's discovery in the mid-nineteenth century and ornithologists' desperate hunt for information on the elusive new species, the book goes on to examine the dramatic events that quickly led to the warbler's precarious status and its eventual emergence as a lightning rod for controversy. The Kirtland's warbler is often described as a "bird of fire" for its preference for nesting in areas cleared by wildfire. But it also warrants the name for the passion it ignites in humans. Both tragic and uplifting, the story of this intriguing bird is a stirring example of how strong leadership, vision, commitment, sustained effort, and cooperation can come together to protect our natural world.

The Kirtland's Warbler has been named a Michigan Notable Book for 2013 by the Library of Michigan.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Small, rare, and not often seen without a special effort, Kirtland's warbler has still managed to capture the imaginations of countless people. This story of its close brush with extinction and the struggle to pull it back from the brink reads like an adventure novel, except that it's all true." --Kenn Kaufman, Kaufman Field Guides

"Besides exhaustively recounting the human and natural history of an extraordinary bird, Rapai has crafted a rare combination of easily accessible prose, scientific literacy, and human passion, together with the mystery and drama of endangered species management." --John Fitzpatrick, Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

"The stories and tales surrounding this rare and mysterious species are almost as captivating as the bird itself. This is an excellent source of current research on the Kirtland's warbler, the successes of the current programs, and the perils and difficulties that still face the bird's population." --Greg Miller

"The population recovery of Kirtland’s Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) is one of the most fascinating success stories of an endangered species in the past 60 years. ... By including the human dimension of recovery efforts, this book keeps the reader involved throughout what ends up being a catalogue of management and research accomplishments." ---The Auk (Deahn M. Donner The Auk 2013-04-01)

"This well-told story of the endangered Kirtland's Warbler…is filled with many heroes and much inspiration."—BirdWatching

(BirdWatching BirdWatching 2012-04-19)

About the Author

William Rapai is president of Grosse Pointe Audubon Society and has traveled across North America and to Cuba, Iceland, and Thailand to view and research birds. He was an award-winning reporter and editor for the Grand Forks Herald, the Detroit Free Press, and the Boston Globe. This is his first book.

More About the Author

William Rapai is president of Grosse Pointe Audubon Society and has traveled across North America and to Cuba, Iceland, and Thailand to view and research birds. He was an award-winning reporter and editor for the Grand Forks Herald, the Detroit Free Press, and the Boston Globe. This is his first book.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

The Kirtland's Warbler may be obscure to non-birders, but the fascinating story of the fight to save it from extinction involves a high-profile fire and the co-defendant in one of the most notorious murder cases of the 20th century.

This warbler is a very fussy bird indeed. In order to build its nest, the Kirtland's Warbler insists on a particular amount of land (over 60 acres per bird) hosting a particular species of tree (the jack-pine) at a particular height-range (6.5' to 13') and surrounded by a particular type of undergrowth. Consequently, in the entire US only 13 counties in northern Michigan provide suitable breeding grounds capable of sustaining the bird. Attempts to create more habitat via a controlled burn resulted in the disastrous Mack Lake fire of 1980. And if that wasn't bad enough publicity for the bird, the first person to identify the threat to the Kirtland's Warbler from Brown-headed Cowbirds, which lay eggs in the warbler's nest, was Nathan Leopold. At the tender age of 20, Leopold presented a paper to the American Ornithological Union on the subject a few months before his name would be irrevocably linked to Richard Loeb in the thrill killing of 14-year-old Bobby Franks in 1924.

William Rapai tells these stories and many more in a vigorous, engaging manner, never letting his account turn dry. He's skilled not only at building the larger narrative of how dedicated individuals helped to save this bird, but he's also adept at delivering the smaller stories in individual chapters. Although it may not be a page-turner in the same way that a mystery novel might be, once I started reading this book, I didn't want to put it down.Read more ›

Rapai's clear, engaging writing and reporter's discipline make this a very readable account that works on both a micro level -- the details of how this species has been, at least for now, saved -- and on a macro level -- as a view of the complexity of maintaining natural habitat. The effort to save the Kirtland Warbler involves teams in northern Michigan and the Bahamas negotiating with the public, the military, local governments. This could have been dry, but Rapai infuses the story with details ranging from the involvement of a notorious murderer in the early days of research to a catastrophic fire set by the Forest Service to clear habitat in Michigan, one which cost human lives and destroyed a small town. A great piece of reporting and environmental advocacy.

I had the pleasure of hearing Bill Rapai speak about this book at a local Audubon meeting shortly after its publication. I had put the book on a pile of "to reads", hoping to get to it soon. The story he told at the meeting was so engaging that I immediately came home and started the book.

Avid birders and Michiganders are a natural audience for this book, but even if you're a more general nature lover you'll enjoy the story of this fascinating little bird. What I found really interesting is how much hard work it takes from many dedicated people to protect a single species.

Now I'm more stoked than ever to see a Kirtland's Warbler. My chance is coming -- it's warbler migration time on the south shores of Lake Erie!

I read the book since I summer in the Kirtland's Warblers breeding range in Michigan and am also in the Kirtland's Warbler Audubon Society club. The book was interesting as a great review of what it takes to work on saving an endangered species. The author included an interplay between the scientific and natural forces affecting the extinction outcome. A great historic and educational reference as well as easy to read.

Kirtland's Warbler is one of the rarest birds nesting in the U.S. and was close to extinction. This book describes how dedicated ornithologists and conservationists helped bring it back from the brink. The work was difficult due to lack of knowledge and mistakes were made. In the end however the effort has been successful and can serve as a model for work with other species.The author tells the story well.